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Derek Nystrom. “Hard Hats and Movie Brats: Auteurism and the Class Politics of the New Hollywood.” Cinema Journal 43.3 (2004): 18-41
The article describes the role of auteurism in 1960s and 1970s Hollywood, and discusses New Hollywood’s relationship with the working class. The centralization of the director’s ideas caused a drift away from labor unions as directors wanted to make sure that everyone who worked on their films stood behind his vision. The article claims that may films focused on trying to get middle-class youth, specifically college students, to disaffiliate from their societal standings by highlighting counter-cultural ideas. The article mainly discusses however, New Hollywood films that elucidate the struggles of the working class and its backlash against the ideas of the counter-cultural movement. It discusses the New Hollywood films about the working class, Joe and Five Easy Pieces, and their roles in modern society and the film industry.
The article helps one to understand the film Easy Rider because it describes the popular concept of auteurism in the 1960s and 1970s. It shows the effects of the concept on the film industry and allows the reader to have some insight into the different social movements of the 1960s and 1970s. While the article mentions that many of the New Hollywood films, like Easy Rider, dealt with the idea of counterculture, it discusses two films that are somewhat adverse to the counterculture of the time. This allows the reader to understand the historical and social context of Easy Rider. While many affiliate New Hollywood with counterculture, it is important to note that auteurism is an important aspect of the movement and weighs more heavily in the vision of the director than the concepts that were popular.
The article describes the role of auteurism in 1960s and 1970s Hollywood, and discusses New Hollywood’s relationship with the working class. The centralization of the director’s ideas caused a drift away from labor unions as directors wanted to make sure that everyone who worked on their films stood behind his vision. The article claims that may films focused on trying to get middle-class youth, specifically college students, to disaffiliate from their societal standings by highlighting counter-cultural ideas. The article mainly discusses however, New Hollywood films that elucidate the struggles of the working class and its backlash against the ideas of the counter-cultural movement. It discusses the New Hollywood films about the working class, Joe and Five Easy Pieces, and their roles in modern society and the film industry.
The article helps one to understand the film Easy Rider because it describes the popular concept of auteurism in the 1960s and 1970s. It shows the effects of the concept on the film industry and allows the reader to have some insight into the different social movements of the 1960s and 1970s. While the article mentions that many of the New Hollywood films, like Easy Rider, dealt with the idea of counterculture, it discusses two films that are somewhat adverse to the counterculture of the time. This allows the reader to understand the historical and social context of Easy Rider. While many affiliate New Hollywood with counterculture, it is important to note that auteurism is an important aspect of the movement and weighs more heavily in the vision of the director than the concepts that were popular.